Pair of urns; Germany, 20th century

Pair of urns; Germany, 20th century
Glazed porcelain
Bears a stamp on the base
Measurements: 60 x 24 x 24 cm.

Pair of lidded urns in glazed porcelain, German-made, crafted in the Louis XVI neoclassical style in the manner of Sèvres. The body, with an ovoid shape resting on a stepped octagonal base, is decorated on the neck with vertical fluting alternating between turquoise blue and gold, topped by a frieze of scrollwork and finished with a pinacle. Hanging from the upper part of the body are garlands in the shape of festoons, supported by rings. The center of the vase is decorated with a series of circular medallions framed in gold, alternating between reserved areas featuring cherubs painted on a light background and reserved areas depicting trophies tied with ribbons, while the shoulder of the vase is adorned with floral bouquets on a white background.

The turquoise blue, or “bleu céleste,” that dominates the decoration of this pair of urns was one of the most celebrated colors of the Sèvres manufactory, developed in the mid-18th century and associated ever since with the refinement of French neoclassical taste, with its characteristic medallions of cherubs and gilded garlands. This highly successful decorative repertoire was constantly reproduced by numerous European manufacturers throughout the 19th century and well into the 20th, giving rise to pieces such as this one, which are clearly intended for decorative purposes and evoke the luxury of 18th-century France.